New Fintech In Solar. Today’s top story is a great one, it signifies another leap in the maturity of the solar market. CommonBond, a leading fintech company in consumer lending, is coming into solar and bringing their technology prowess to solar installers. Having a diversified lending platform leveraging their existing investments pays off for installers because of their knowledge on how to get deals done quickly and efficiently, resulting in more volume and margins for installers. SolarWakeup is happy to play a role in connecting this opportunity for the solar community, you can check them out on their launch site here.
Nextracker To Spin Off. Almost a year ago, right here on SolarWakeup we told you that Nextracker should look at the strategic opportunity to become a standalone public company. With a new investment from a major private equity firm, Dan Shugar and his team will do just that. Put me into the unsurprised column, though the public market timing isn’t fantastic at the moment which means they may hold off for a better time in the market.
Opinion
News
1 Solar Power World:
Loan company CommonBond now offering solar financing options
2 Seeking Alpha:
Flex to sell $500M of convertible preferred equity in Nextracker to TPG Rise Climate
3 PV-Magazine:
Distributed solar and storage owners face one more hurdle before participating in wholesale markets
4 Energy Storage News:
CAISO drafts 20-year plan to get California on-track for 100% renewables
5 Canary Media:
The Texas energy system faces a winter reckoning — again
6 Axios:
Taking stock of the global electric vehicle race
Opinions:
7 Vox:
Dirty energy pays more than clean energy. That’s a problem.
Have a great day!
Yann
Tariffs Have Failed, Time To Change Tactic. Since the first anti-dumping duty was put on solar modules, the policy push to make the US the center of the manufacturing universe for solar has failed. The second set of duties didn’t help and 201 just made it worse. Nobody remembers Suniva and SolarWorld and how they were central to this fight, they are long gone. At the same time this trade war has slowed the fight against climate change, cost job creation and crushed the US silicon manufacturing success that existed. Help US solar manufacturers with tax credits instead of increasing the cost of solar to every American.
The New Push To Get Green BBB Passed. Environmental groups are taking the fight to the DC airwaves and arguing for the climate edition of build back better to get passed. This is the new tactic to bring BBB to the floor in pieces instead of a grand social benefits bill, which has failed to gain traction in Joe Manchin’s Senate office.
Opinion
News
1 Washington Post:
Opinion - Biden must end this ruinous solar power trade war with China
2 CNBC:
House Democrats urge Biden to pass climate change portion of Build Back Better
3 Utility Dive:
Brookfield Renewable picks up 20 GW of solar, storage projects as developers seek strategic acquisitions
4 Bloomberg:
Texas Power Prices Surge With Cold Snap Poised to Test Grid
5 Solar Builder:
Power Forward - Solar installer growth strategies in 2022
6 PV-Tech:
Maxeon takes aim at US C&I solar market with Omnidian deal
7 Energy Storage:
Georgia Power asks for approval to own and operate 1GW of battery storage in IRP
8 PV-Magazine:
US solar module manufacturer nets $5 million investment, 250MW supply deal
Opinions:
9 Axios:
Exclusive - New clean energy ads as part of Build Back Better push
Have a great day!
Yann
Opinion
Best, Yann
News
1 Politico:
Raimondo - Manchin 'gettable' on revised Build Back Better plan
2 Bloomberg:
Environmental Groups Launch Lobbying Blitz to Push Biden Bill
3 Canary Media:
Is there hope of finding middle ground on California’s rooftop solar policy?
4 Energy Storage News:
Mercom - Battery storage firms raised US$17bn corporate funding in 2021
5 Axios:
The nuanced yet far-reaching oil leasing ruling
6 Reuters:
NextEnergy Capital raises record $896 mln for solar infrastructure fund
7 PV-Tech:
Con Edison proposes 2023 rate increase to fund 200MW solar PV project, four battery storage systems
8 PV-Magazine:
Indiana utility’s net metering calculation overturned in court
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
Breakthroughs in generation and system integration are driving the utility of the future, analysts say
Have a great day!
Yann
Opinion
Best, Yann
News
1 Axios:
Thousands without power after historic blizzard slams New England
2 Reuters:
Shell's renewables boss steps down after less than two years
3 PV-Tech:
Bifacial exemption set to remain under new US Section 201 tariffs, reports suggest
4 Politico:
A Biden ally takes over one of Build Back Better’s main opponents
5 Canary Media:
Chart - Investors showered climatetech startups with a record-smashing $40B in 2021
6 Utility Dive:
FERC proposes internal monitoring requirements for bulk electric facilities to address security 'gap'
7 Energy Storage News:
TransAlta seeks approval for 180MW hydroelectric-charged battery storage system in Canada
8 PV-Magazine:
Big solar headed for big Texas oil operation
Opinions:
9 Los Angeles Times:
Newsletter - As climate crisis worsens, this California city wants to build a gas plant
Have a great day!
Yann
